Lancashire have pulled off a major coup by signing the England one-day wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

The Red Rose beat competition from other counties – including Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire – for the highly-rated 23-year-old, who joins on a three-year deal.

It is the first time since the arrival of fast bowler Phil DeFreitas 24 years ago that the club has signed a current England international.

Buttler announced on Friday he was leaving his home county Somerset, where he played mainly as a batsman only with Craig Kieswetter being preferred behind the stumps, to further his wicketkeeping career.

Ironically, Buttler keeps wicket for England’s one-day and T20 sides ahead of Kieswetter, but knows he needs to have the gloves regularly in Championship cricket if he is to battle Matt Prior for a place in the Test side.

With Lancashire deciding to release Gareth Cross last week, Buttler will be the club’s No.1 wicketkeeper in all forms of the game.

“I am delighted to be joining Lancashire,” said Buttler, who has played 19 ODIs and 25 T20 matches for England.

“They have a strong squad and are very ambitious to build on this season’s achievement.

“The club has an exceptional coaching staff which will help me to continue to develop as a keeper/batsman.”

“Lancashire have a talented group of players who will be looking to challenge in all three competitions.

“They have been there or thereabouts in recent seasons in the T20 competition and I know for certain that Lancashire Lightning will want to make a mark in the NatWest T20 next year.

“And Emirates Old Trafford is a world class venue and has tremendous state-of-the-art facilities for cricketers.”

Being part of the England one-day set up and the Lions side means Buttler, who will go to Australia this winter alongside new team-mate Simon Kerrigan as part of the England Performance Programme – will miss some of Lancashire’s matches.

However, that will give coach Peter Moores the chance to continue the development of 19-year-old Alex Davies, who kept wicket for the final three games of Lancashire’s season.

“It is great news Jos will be joining us and he will become part of a highly competitive squad,” said Moores.

“His style of cricket will add value to the team in all formats of the game and his potential as a player is very exciting.”

Big-hitting Buttler seems to like Old Trafford. He made his T20 international debut against India there in 2011 and earlier this month smashed a career-high for England 75 off just 65 balls in the ODI defeat by Australia.

And his powerful batting is just what Lancashire need in their pursuit of one-day glory, with Stephen Moore having been released earlier this month.

But it will be in the Championship Buttler will want to impress as Lancashire return to Division One, and he will be keen to improve his average of just over 31.

This season he played just nine games for a Somerset side that battled against relegation, scoring 508 runs in 15 innings.